Coaches & Staff
Welcome Eagles families and friends. Introducing our fine coaches and staff.
We appreciate your support, and we look forward to your presence at games supporting our Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshman football teams.
Come on out and enjoy the excitement with our Mighty Eagle Band, RHS Cheerleaders, Iron Eagles, and Silver Rhythm Dancers.
Derek Alford
Head Coach
Coach Alford is beginning his 31st year of coaching, his 3rd year at Rowlett High School. He has been married to his beautiful wife (Stephanie) for 26 years and they have a son, Hunter who will graduate from the University of North Texas this December with a degree in Supply Chain Management. Coach Alford has taught Math for 24 of his 31 years in various districts including Wichita Falls, Garland, Petrolia, Quinlan, Waco Midway and Allen. Coach Alford graduated from South Garland HS in 1987 and Midwestern State in 1993. Coach was fortunate to coach in 3 State Championships, winning 2 State Titles in 1999 & 2017.
Richard McCroan
Director of Football Operations
Coach McCroan is entering his 24th year in Rowlett. As Director of Football Operations, Coach McCroan serves as the community liaison, helps coordinate summer youth programs, and is Coordinator of Rowlett High School’s “Eagle Partner” community resource program. Raised in Garland, Texas, Coach McCroan graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 1981 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. Coach McCroan has been married to his wife Tracie, a retired teacher in the Garland ISD, for 41 years. Their daughter Ashley, 39, graduated from Tarleton State University in May of 2008 and just completed her 14th year in the Garland ISD where she serves as a Physical Education Adaptive PE teacher. Ashley is married to Michael Lewis, who is assistant principal at Highland Park High School. Ashley and Michael have a daughter, Whitten, who is five years old. Coach McCroan’s son Wade, 30, graduated from Texas A&M Commerce and is in his fourth year as a teacher and coach in the Sherman ISD. His wife, Rachael, is a nurse at Texoma Medical Center. The McCroan’s have resided in Trenton, Texas since 2000.
Dean Jackson
Assistant Coach
Coach Jackson graduated from Wichita State and is in his 43rd year coaching and his first year at Rowlett. Coach Jackson has been married to his wife, Cora for 34 years. They have a daughter Dena and a son, Cory, and his wife, McKenzie. Coach Jackson also had two grandchildren. Willow, 2 years old and Maven, 3 months old. Coach Jackson coaches defensive line.
Cody Gambill
Assistant Coach
Coach Gambill is entering his 12th year teaching and coaching, 3rd year at Rowlett High School. Previous coaching stops include Allen High School, Midway High School, and Byron Nelson High School. He is a graduate from Texas State University where he also played baseball. He is married to his wife, Courtney and they have three daughters – Collins (8), Caylor (5), and Colbie (Born in June)
Zach Hurst
Assistant Coach
Coach Gambill is entering his 12th year teaching and coaching, 3rd year at Rowlett High School. Previous coaching stops include Allen High School, Midway High School, and Byron Nelson High School. He is a graduate from Texas State University where he also played baseball. He is married to his wife, Courtney and they have three daughters – Collins (8), Caylor (5), and Colbie (Born in June)
Matt Huggins
Assistant Coach
Coach Huggins is entering his 3rd year with the Rowlett Eagles and his 8th year in coaching. His previous stops include Allen HS and Frisco Lebanon Trail HS. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University. He is married to his wife, Miranda and they one son, Beau (2).
Doug Johnson
Assistant Coach
Doug Johnson is a graduate of Rockwall High School and Texas A & M University-Commerce where he received his B.S. degree in Physical Education/History. This is his 26th year coaching and his 16th at Rowlett. Coach Johnson coaches offensive line. Previously; Coach Johnson has coached basketball, baseball, and was head powerlifting coach for the 2006 Class 3A Division II State Champions at Royse City. Coach Johnson and his wife, Cheri have been married for 23 years and they have a daughter Brooke, who is 20.
Joe Holt
Assistant Coach
Joe Holt has been coaching and teaching for 15 years. He is in his 5th year at Rowlett High School. He is a graduate of Texas A&M Commerce with a B.S. in Radio and Television. He coaches the Defensive Tackles. He and his wife Adrienne have been happily married for 16 years and have two sons, 12 year old Josiah and 1 year old Joseph.
Sean Edmondson
Assistant Coach
Coach Edmonson graduated from Allen High School in 2007 and is in his 8th year at Rowlett. He is the Special Teams Coordinator and coaches Running Backs. From 2007-2008 he played WR at SMU. Graduated from Texas State University. 2012 Quality Control Rice University -WR. 2012 Went 7-6 with a victory in the Armed Forces Bowl. 2013-2015 Defensive GA at Rice University- Safeties. 2013-Conference USA Champions 10-4 record and played Mississippi St. in the Liberty Bowl. 2014 went 8-5 with a victory over Fresno State in the Hawaii Bowl. Coach Edmonson is married to wife Madelyn and they have two sons, Cooper and Luke.
Scott Hall
Assistant Coach
Coach Hall is entering into his 13th year of coaching high school football. This will be his 3rd year of coaching at Rowlett High School. Coach Hall coaches in the secondary for the Eagles. Originally from Georgia, Coach Hall has been with the Garland ISD for the last 6 years.
Walter Favors
Assistant Coach
In his third year of coaching at Rowlett High School. Coach Favors has 28 years of coaching experience. A graduate from Lancaster High School where he played wide receiver. After High School, he attended Tarleton State University and played 4 years at Wide Receiver.
Jeremy Bearden
Assistant Coach
This is Coach Bearden’s 2nd year coaching the Rowlett Eagles, but his 6th year coaching overall. He is a Rowlett High School alum and was a part of the first ever playoff team in RHS history that went 9-3 in 2005. His previous coaching stops include Greenhill Academy and Brookhaven College. Coach Bearden played college baseball and graduated from Texas Tech University. He has been married to his wife Mandy, also an RHS alum, for five years and they have two children, Jack (2 ½ years) and John (1 ½ years).
Gage Davis
Assistant Coach
This is Coach Davis’s 3rd year coaching the Rowlett Eagles but his 19th year coaching overall. His previous coaching stops include Rockwall-Heath, Terrell, and Allen. Coach Davis played college baseball and graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2005. He has been married to his wife Melissa for 16 years and they have 2 children, Brooklyn (14) and Cruz (12).
Adam Gumpf
Assistant Coach
Coach Gumpf is entering his 16th year in education and coaching. This is his second year at Rowlett and has previously taught and coached at Allen High School, Richardson West Jr High, Springfield High School (Holland, Ohio) and Perrysburg High School, Perrysburg, Ohio). He is a four year baseball letterman and graduate of Bowling Green State University. His is married to his wife Amy for 11 years and they have four children McClane 8, Skylar 6, Jayden 3 and Riggs 1.
Walter Bell
Assistant Coach
Coach Bell is entering his first year of coaching and 5th year of teaching at Rowlett. Coach Bell played college basketball and graduated from Jarvis Christian University. After finishing college, Coach Bell played 2 years of professional basketball in China. Coach Bell has been married to his wife Aliyah for one year. They have a son, Alijah Bell who is 3 years old.
Justn Recer
Assistant Coach
This is Coach Recer’s first year coaching the Rowlett Eagles. He is a Rowlett High School Alum class of 2006. Coach Recer was on the first RHS football team in history to make it into the playoffs with a 9-3 record in 2005. He went on to play one year of football at Hardin Simmons University in Abilene Texas. Coach Recer also proudly served our country in the United States Army from 2007-2010. He served one year in Afghanistan from 2009-2010. Coach Recer has two sons, Levi Recer, and Lane Recer. He graduated from Texas A&M University -Commerce with a Bachelor’s Degree and high academic honors.
Trivett Jones
Trainer
Coach Jones graduated college from Angelo State. Coach Jones is beginning his second year as athletic trainer at Rowlett. Coach Jones is a Garland ISD product graduating from Sachse High School. Coach Jones was a four time All-American in Track and Field at Angelo State in the pole Vault.
Jenna Doggett
Trainer
Coach Doggett is entering her 5th year as an athletic trainer and 2nd at Rowlett. Before joining Rowlett, she was a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer for The University of Central Oklahoma for 3 years and graduated with a masters in exercise science. She also had a stint at OU covering All-Girl and Co-ed cheerleading. Coach Doggett graduated from Midwestern State University with a bachelor’s in athletic training in 2019. During my time at MSU, she played college softball and met her husband, Devon.